North Adelaide St Peter's Cathedral
Original reredos. Erected 1880, created by William Butterfield, transferred to Lady Chapel altar when new reredos installed 1904. Butterfield produced the first designs for the cathedral.
“There has just been erected in St Peter's Cathedral by Messrs. Brown & Thompson a handsome reredos, lately arrived from England, designed by Mr. Butterfield, the architect of the Cathedral, and the gift of the Bishop and his immediate relatives and friends. It may be described as a handsome white marble ornamented and jewelled cross, five feet in height, springing from a marble shelf, in a canopied and cusped recess, flanked on each side by a subsidiary breaded panel rising from a solid marble shelf of some what lower level than that from which the cross is carried. . . Great credit is due to the employees of Messrs. Brown & Thompson for the careful way in which they, without accident, carried out so delicate a work.” [Register 3 Apr 1880]
THE LADY CHAPEL
Consecrated 7 Apr 1904, architect Mr.-E. J: Woods. When the chancel wall was demolished, the 2 triple windows (created by Wailes & Co 1876) were removed and given to Holy Trinity Adelaide and St Bartholomew’s Norwood. The new apse formed the Lady Chapel, funds being donated by Priscilla Simms in memory of her husband Dean Alfred Simms. Three new triple windows designed by John William Brown of Powell & Sons, Whitefriars were donated by Robert Barr Smith. The 2 windows removed had been dedicated to Bishop Augustus Short and Dean James Farrell & his wife Grace Montgomery; as are two of the new windows in the Lady Chapel.
“The builders are now engaged in laying the foundations of the lady chapel that is to be built behind the Cathedral out of a donation made by Mrs. Alfred Simms. Already the great north-western wall of the Cathedral has been pulled down, and the men have nearly finished excavating the vestries beneath the chapel. Two massive stone piers, three lofty archways, and a reredos 30 ft. high, will occupy the site of the old wall. The lady chapel will be in the shape of an octagon. It is to be built of Teatree Gully brown stone, with Murray-bridge freestone dressings.” [Advertiser 7 Feb 1903]
“lady chapel . . is the gift of Priscilla Simms, in grateful recognition of the gracious goodness of God and in memory of her husband, Alfred Simms. [Advertiser 30 Mar 1904]
“St. Peter's Cathedral . . . The spires to the Cathedral were built as the result of a donation of £10,000 by Mr. Barr Smith . . . [He] has also given three windows. . . The lady chapel and vestry are the gift of Mrs Simms, who is also giving a reredos.” [Advertiser 30 Mar 1904]
“The walls of the chapel are built mainly of brick, faced on the inside with dressed Murray River freestone, and externally with Teatree Gully freestone.” [Chronicle 2 Apr 1904]
“The question of stained glass for the central window was settled by Mr. Barr Smith generously offering to be responsible for the expense. Then a difficulty arose. Owing to the improvement in the art of staining glass which has taken place during the last quarter of a century, and other causes, the central window would be so greatly superior to those between which it would be placed that the harmonious effect of the whole would, be destroyed, and it would seem hardly on honour to the memory of Bishop Short and Dean Farrell that they should be represented by windows which would appear so inferior. The question then resolved itself into how to preserve the memorials to the late Bishop and Dean, and at the same time get over the difficulty which the stained glass presented. Mr. Barr Smith again generously came to the rescue, and offered to give new glass for all three windows, stipulating in the most emphatic terms that the two side windows were to be memorials to the late Bishop Short and Dean Farrell, and should bear the same inscriptions as at present.” [Register 1 Dec 1900]
Cathedral foundation stone 29 Jun 1869 by Bishop Augustus Short, opened 30 Mar 1876, first organ installed in north transept 1877, chancel & first part of nave consecrated 1 Jan 1878, tower & nave foundation stone 27 Sep 1890 by the Governor, Earl of Kintore, nave consecrated 14 Jul 1901, tower & spires dedicated 7 Dec 1902, Lady Chapel & crypt completed 7 Apr 1904, reredos dedicated 6 Mar 1910, front steps 1911, new organ dedicated 6 Jul 1930 in south transept, bells 29 Jun 1947.
North Adelaide St Peter's Cathedral
Original reredos. Erected 1880, created by William Butterfield, transferred to Lady Chapel altar when new reredos installed 1904. Butterfield produced the first designs for the cathedral.
“There has just been erected in St Peter's Cathedral by Messrs. Brown & Thompson a handsome reredos, lately arrived from England, designed by Mr. Butterfield, the architect of the Cathedral, and the gift of the Bishop and his immediate relatives and friends. It may be described as a handsome white marble ornamented and jewelled cross, five feet in height, springing from a marble shelf, in a canopied and cusped recess, flanked on each side by a subsidiary breaded panel rising from a solid marble shelf of some what lower level than that from which the cross is carried. . . Great credit is due to the employees of Messrs. Brown & Thompson for the careful way in which they, without accident, carried out so delicate a work.” [Register 3 Apr 1880]
THE LADY CHAPEL
Consecrated 7 Apr 1904, architect Mr.-E. J: Woods. When the chancel wall was demolished, the 2 triple windows (created by Wailes & Co 1876) were removed and given to Holy Trinity Adelaide and St Bartholomew’s Norwood. The new apse formed the Lady Chapel, funds being donated by Priscilla Simms in memory of her husband Dean Alfred Simms. Three new triple windows designed by John William Brown of Powell & Sons, Whitefriars were donated by Robert Barr Smith. The 2 windows removed had been dedicated to Bishop Augustus Short and Dean James Farrell & his wife Grace Montgomery; as are two of the new windows in the Lady Chapel.
“The builders are now engaged in laying the foundations of the lady chapel that is to be built behind the Cathedral out of a donation made by Mrs. Alfred Simms. Already the great north-western wall of the Cathedral has been pulled down, and the men have nearly finished excavating the vestries beneath the chapel. Two massive stone piers, three lofty archways, and a reredos 30 ft. high, will occupy the site of the old wall. The lady chapel will be in the shape of an octagon. It is to be built of Teatree Gully brown stone, with Murray-bridge freestone dressings.” [Advertiser 7 Feb 1903]
“lady chapel . . is the gift of Priscilla Simms, in grateful recognition of the gracious goodness of God and in memory of her husband, Alfred Simms. [Advertiser 30 Mar 1904]
“St. Peter's Cathedral . . . The spires to the Cathedral were built as the result of a donation of £10,000 by Mr. Barr Smith . . . [He] has also given three windows. . . The lady chapel and vestry are the gift of Mrs Simms, who is also giving a reredos.” [Advertiser 30 Mar 1904]
“The walls of the chapel are built mainly of brick, faced on the inside with dressed Murray River freestone, and externally with Teatree Gully freestone.” [Chronicle 2 Apr 1904]
“The question of stained glass for the central window was settled by Mr. Barr Smith generously offering to be responsible for the expense. Then a difficulty arose. Owing to the improvement in the art of staining glass which has taken place during the last quarter of a century, and other causes, the central window would be so greatly superior to those between which it would be placed that the harmonious effect of the whole would, be destroyed, and it would seem hardly on honour to the memory of Bishop Short and Dean Farrell that they should be represented by windows which would appear so inferior. The question then resolved itself into how to preserve the memorials to the late Bishop and Dean, and at the same time get over the difficulty which the stained glass presented. Mr. Barr Smith again generously came to the rescue, and offered to give new glass for all three windows, stipulating in the most emphatic terms that the two side windows were to be memorials to the late Bishop Short and Dean Farrell, and should bear the same inscriptions as at present.” [Register 1 Dec 1900]
Cathedral foundation stone 29 Jun 1869 by Bishop Augustus Short, opened 30 Mar 1876, first organ installed in north transept 1877, chancel & first part of nave consecrated 1 Jan 1878, tower & nave foundation stone 27 Sep 1890 by the Governor, Earl of Kintore, nave consecrated 14 Jul 1901, tower & spires dedicated 7 Dec 1902, Lady Chapel & crypt completed 7 Apr 1904, reredos dedicated 6 Mar 1910, front steps 1911, new organ dedicated 6 Jul 1930 in south transept, bells 29 Jun 1947.